Adobe’s eSeminars

This morning, I took part in a free, hour-long CS4 for Photographers class. Using hi-speed Comcast web technology, Adobe broadcast their first eSeminar Live using Adobe Flash Player. This one is on Cs4; Adobe plans to have 3 additional Connect Pro Meetings in the next month or so. You can find the info here.

And, yes, after working hard on the reinvigorated laptop for several busy days, I am watching Adobe live, listening to their intro Beethoven on it right now …

After synchronizing Flash Player and determining connection speed, when Connect Pro comes up, it takes Internet Explorer 8 over, creating a full screen (Argh…). CTRL-ALT-DEL lets me log onto Task Manager to get the Start menu back ~ so I can do other things while waiting for the extravaganza to start. Ahh, Beethoven…

Bryan Hughes Bryan Hughes began the session a few moments after 1000 Pacific time – I could actually post these remarks on Google Blogger as I write – But I’d rather watch and listen to Bryan…

Here’s the Most Amazing Part…
Bryan’s composite pano image above is the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen CS4 do…
Bryan took 2 different hand-held panos. When I first saw the original images, they were in no particular order in Bridge. That’s to say “They were mixed together”. He merged them (without stacking – 2 sets of different pano images), and displayed them on screen.
Result: Both panos appeared - separately, mind you - from the input melee...
I simply did a screen capture to commemorate this unique CS4 feature (the image above)…
Now, that’s quite a stunning technology feat!!!

Some 50+ minutes in, somewhat saturated, I had learned several Tips and Tricks which I would not normally find in textbooks or on DVDs.

I encourage you to register with Adobe and watch over the next few Thursdays (July 23 - Aug 30) as their eSeminars whet your appetite for ever sharper Lightroom, Bridge, and CS4 workflows…

Thanks, Bryan and Adobe…

Proud CS4 Owner – Breakin’ It In

I ain’t no April Fool…

But, I have just spent the last several hours installing Adobe Photoshop CS4. The update is on a DVD; 20 minutes to upgrade. CS4 comes with Adobe Camera Raw 5 …to update from DVD to present configuration, you will need another 123 Mb including ACR 5.3. Fortunately, it can be an automatic download of ~ 6 minutes (industrial Comcast). Simply ask CS4 to update software and sit back til it’s done…

CS4 Setup

Then there’s setup for your prior choices of workflow. For example, bringing in old actions and preferences. I’ve learned to set aside these special features in subfolders for each Photoshop version. Then, its simply a matter of renaming those folders and adding them in the proper place for CS4.

Learning the Ropes...

CS4 has a What’s New in CS4 dropdown menu. It turns new menu features blue so you can quickly go thru to get acclimated. Then, you find Photoshop Online in the Help menu; it provides you some 45 minutes of Julianne Kost _Adobe Evangelist_ showing Intelligent Scaling, Alignment, Lightroom 2, Adjustments and Masks panels, ACR 5, GPU Acceleration, and finally, Bridge in 6 remarkable videos.

Slaver - Saliva running from the mouth: drivel, drool, salivation, slaver.

View of Adobe’s Available Time-Saver (Not Slaver) Videos

Now, why would I use that particular term…

Because, a quick review of these Flash Videos quickly leads you to the meat of new CS4 workflow! Beyond that, their intro statement said you could get the same workflow done in HALF the normal time. AND, sharply reduce your mouse travel… WOW!!!

Then I saw Julianne take 3 high dynamic range exposures and auto-blend them in CS4 – producing a balanced HDR image. Unfortunately, she did not take them to the level of additional Tone Mapping, but such workflow is way simple compared to the old Photomatix approach.

… simply didn’t take long before I was slavering!

Julianne’s other cogent tips (see list above) are quickly presented, well ordered, and highly provocative. It would make a very length blog post to enumerate each one in serious detail so you could even begin to get them at your digital finger tips…

I would recommend viewing each of these videos several times, taking extensive notes, then inculcating these exciting concepts in your own substantially improved workflow.

So, What’s Your Digital Future?

I’ve talked to several members of ELCC who are considering migration to CS4. My advice – if you can workflow in half the time, with much less mouse movement, and have better image control - then what are you waiting for? Take a look at these videos, get your copy onboard and running, and begin some marvelous adventures in your own photography.

Enjoy…